Mohave County miner., 1887-03-19
WASHINGTON I.HT1EIs.
(vaox orR EgGuIAn coRgEsroNDKSr.
Wsa,srSnrox. MarcI, 7fh. 1887.

WAsmrNGTox, March 7th, 1887.
The marble halls 81 the Capitol are de-
serted. Tho 4sah Congress has passed
into history. Whatever may be said oi
the quality Of its work, IL 10 fact that no
previous Congress has equsIlcd il In the
amount 81 work accomplished. II has
presented more measures, passed more
bills, and had more bills vetoed than any
other Congress In the history Of the
country. Among the important bills
passed by the present Congress are the
Interstate Commerce bill, tho Electoral
Count bill, the Presidential Succession
bill, Mexican Pension, granting land in
scveralty TO Indians. Canadian Fishery
Retaliation bill, bill rcI6aling tho Ten
urc Of Office Act and one for the increase
of the Navy.
Congress failed to revise the tariff and
TO reduce the War Taxes, which are pour
ing 900, 900 900 annually into the Treas
ury in excess OF the legitimate needs Of
the government II is this great surplus
fund that has invited the rapacious raids
upon the Treasury that have been nlasls
during the past four years, and The past
Congress was elected to opreyent this sur
plus accumulation by reducing taxes.
To continue this onerous and useless tax
alton is neglect of duty 80 great as to
almost efface the good which the past
Congress has done.
The radical cure for such o state of af-
fairs as was seen during the closing hours
Of Congress cannot lie found by simply
putting different Representative at the
head OF the Committee on Appropria'
tions. Neither could it be cured by dis
iributing all che Appropriations among
separate committees The real trouble
| about our system Of legislation il that
there is no head upon whom the respon.
| sibility OF failure can be visited upon.
When Congress does not do its duty, o,
| performs its functions badly il is only the
country that suffers. When good lcgisla-
iion is enacted the country is benefited,
but the party and mcn, whose efficicn,
work has passed the bill, are not reward.
ed. What We reed IL a Cabinet responsi
BILE for legislation. A constitutional
amendment requiring members Of the
President's Cabinet 10 be neinbcrs of one
or the other House Of Congress, would dc
more than any other measure 10 bring
order out Of our legislative chaos. Thi.
is tie great reform which would bring ths
Executive and Legislative branches o
our government into harmony, and iacili
tate ths work of both,
There Is no new Cabinet Minister thi,
year The bill to create Department ol
Agriculture and Labor failed TO become i
law, but such guardian of the interest,
mentioned is demanded, and the measure
will no doubt be matured next winter. Il
would seem, heweyeF, that such depart
ment should be called tine Department o
Industry, as that name would be inclusive
and comprehensive, capable OF shelterint
all interests that yet need a representative,
In tho Presidents Official family,
] Yhe Capitol presented deserted ap
pcarance yesterday as compared with til,
lively scenes Of the last few days. A few
members sat at their desks writing o.
cnlling out papers for preservation. Tn.
floors were Uttered with torn paper ane
| all the Debris that had accumulated dur
| Ing the last protracted session. Already
!, employees have begun TO remove the worr
carpets and prepare the halls for renoya
ton next year.
4 In tho committee roons Inembers, wh'
have fingered in the city, ransacked draw
ers and put their effects in order. A liyel,
interest was exhibited by those remain
ing members in the condition OF legisla
tion, and many Of them dropped into tn
Clerks office to inquire with anxict,
whether the President had signed bill
J for which they felt concern. Notwitll
standing the unexpected strain put upor
the enrolling clerks by the hasty legisla
ton Of the closing hours Of Congress, n
! material errors have been detected in Tn
work. sone idea of the manner In whicl
, the 10th Congress wound up its work ma
be found in the declaration Of membe
, Of long experience, that the TACT was tina
one quarter Of the legislation Of the session
had been enacted in the last few legisla
tive days.